Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms



UNITED 'STATES "PATENT OFFICE.

JARIS DAVIS, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO VPATRICK SMITH.A

A OF `SAME PLACE.

. nvliDtzoi/Eii/I NT 1N. enEeH-LOADING Fl RE-ARMSQ Specification forming part'of Letters Patent No. 51,258, (lated November :28, 1865.

' To all/whom it may concern:

y Beit known that I, JARVI'S DAVIS, of the city of BuEalo, county otErie, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Breeclrllioading Rides;

i 4and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification.

This invention relates to that class of breechloading tire-arms in which prepared metallic cartridges are used; and its nature consists, first, in the peculiar construction of a sliding cartridge-holder, by which the cartridge is entered into and the exploded shell removed 4from the barrel; second, in operating'said cartridge-holder hy'a reversing-.partial rota tion of a spirally-grooved sleeve turning upon the breech end ofthe barrel; third, in the 'operation of a sliding abutment by the same y movements of the sleeve which'operate the cartridgelholder through the medium of a vi -brating spring-lever and cam formed on said sleeve.,

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is a sectional-elevation of luy-improved ritle, the

l parts beingl in position for loadingi. e., the

sliding abutment thrown down and the cartridge-holder out. Fig. II is a plan of same.` Fig, III is a reverse sectional elevation, the. ,parts4 being in their position when the arm is loaded. Fig. IV is a cross-section on line a b, lookin gin direction of the arrow. Fig; V is also acrosssection on 'line c d, looking in direction of arrow: Fig'VI is a detachedl perspective viewofthe sliding cartridge-holder.

e Letters of like naine and kind refer to like parts in each 'ofthe gnres.

A represents the barrel of the gun, B the stock, and'B( a metallic frame forming part of the stock, and by which the connection of the barrel to the stock 4is. effected, saidframe beingformed with a socket, B2, which receives the breech, and having an arm-extensiomB, runningforward in under the barrel, to which the barrel is secured by a key, b4, passing through the arm and the lug b5 formed on'the barrel. Thismanner of securing the Abarrel to i the st ck renders its removal or connection easy, at the same time making a veryistron'g and effective fastening.'

in the underl side C O' represent the sliding cartridge-holder, the dovetail shank (l of which tits into a corresponiliuff, dovetail groove cut longitudinally of the .breech end of th'e barrel, so that'the holder moves back and forth therein parallel with the bore ot' the barrel. The back plate, C', turned at right angles to the shank, is of the size and shape ofthe base .of-the cartridge used, and has a concave bed,

C2, projecting from the forward side thereof,

which bed has a groote, as shown at O3, to reoeive the flange of the cartridge. When the holderis thrown back, as `shown in Fig. I, the cartridge may be placed thereinfrom the top,

as shown by the dotted red line-s, lt resting on A the metallic lshell remaining vin the holder is n withdrawn from the barrel by the backward movement thereof, and may be easily and quickly disposed of.

D represents the 'abutment working up andv down behind the breech end o't' the barrel through a mortisemade in the-metallic fra'me v B. VVhenup it bears against the back plate ot' the cartridge-holder and receives, the recoiloccasioned by the explosion of the cartridge. The movements ot' the abutment and the cartridge-holder are at right angles toveach other, and have a deiinite and mutual relationi. e., as soon as the abutment is thrown down the cartridge-holder is thrown back, passing 'i lover the top ofthe abutment and bringing the parts into position for loadin g, and as soon as the cartridge-holder is/moved into its forward position the abutment is thrown up behind the cartridge-holder, giving the loaded position of thel parts. These combined movementsare produced as follows E represents ya sleeve or hollow 'cylinder atA the breech end ofthe barrel, turning easily thereon,beingheldfrom any longitudinalmovement by a shoulder on the barrel in front and by the shoulder otbarrelisocket B2 on the metallic frame B' at the rear. Thisl sleeve has a spirally-cnt groove or slot, c', which receivesa projecting pin or' stud, e?, o n the shank C of cartridge-holder, so that as the sleeve .is turned in one direction thecartridge-holder will be thrown back and out, and when turned in the opposite directien-will be throwni n. The spiral is ot' such pitch that a partial' revolution will give the required throw 'or movement to the holder.

F represents a spring-lever, having its fulcrumatf and its moving end connecting with the sliding abutment, so that its vibration will operate the abutment. rlhe lever carries a small friction-roller, f2, which, as the sleeve is turned, drops into the cam-notch i7 in the sleeve and allows the spring to raise the abutment; but the turning of the sleeve in the opposite direction throws it out of the notch, and consequently throws down the abutment.

To prevent the spiral groove from throwing out the .cartridge-holder until the abutmenthas been thrown down, it is made to terminate in a groove or slot, c3, at right angles to theaXis of the sleeve, which allows the sleeve to turn y sufficiently to throw down the lever and abut.

ment before giving motion to the cartridgeholder, and at the same time causes the return movement ofthe holder to be completed before the abutment can rise..

V The sleeve is provided with a thumb-piece, H, by which its movements may be easilyand quickly efteeted.

The blow ofthe hammer I is communicated to the ange of the cartridge, .which contains the tuiminate, through a peicussionpin, i', insertedin the abutment at the proper point, the

' back plate of the cartridge-holder beingcut away slightly to expose the iiange of the cartridge to its action. The percussionpin is made slightly tapering from its front end, and the mortise inthe abutment to a corresponding taper, so that, being inserted from the front. side of thc abutment, itis held in place and prevented from falling ontvby the frontside of the mortiseiuwhich the abutment works. The front end ofthe pin is made convex or rounded, so that in its movement with the abutment it is not liable to catch or interfere with such v2i y :mess

movement. By this construction ot' thepercussion-pin a sprin g is dispensed with and increased simplicity and durability in the device obtained. l The manipulation of this arm in loading. and

tiring may be brieiiy summed up as follows:

The sleeve is turned, the hammer being first thrown back bythe thumb-piecein adirection l (in this'instance from left tov right) to throw ldown the abutment and throw out the cartridgeholder into positionto receive the cartridge, which beingplaced therein and the reverse 4or return movement ot' the sleeve given, the cartridge will be carried -by the' movement of the holder into position in the barrel andthe abut-' mentback into its place, and thepiece be read y1v for tiring. rIhis done, it may bel reloaded by the same movements, except that the shell of the exploded cartridge must be removed from the holder after being withdrawn from the barrel by the outwardmovement thereof. This may be do'ne by a slight jerk or quick movement ot' the piece, withou'tftrouble or loss ot' l time.

The movements ofthe sleeve may be given entirely by the left hand and the piece held at the same time, thereby leaving` the right hand free to insert the cartridge in the holder, and

when necessary to remove the explodedshells.'

It is believed that this tire-arm is unequaled in its simplicity of construction and4 manipulation, aswell'as in'its durability and freedom from disarrangement.

Having thus described my invention, what 

